Netflix's latest must-watch docuseries, Pop Star Academy: KATSEYE, is a behind-the-scenes look at a new kind of girl group. In 2021, two of the biggest labels in the world—HYBE, the K-pop juggernaut behind groups like BTS, and Geffen Records, home to Olivia Rodrigo and Camilla Cabello—set out to form a new global girl group, recruiting singers and dancers from around the world to be trained under the traditional K-pop system. Out of 120,000 submissions, 20 girls were chosen to compete on The Debut: Dream Academy, a survival show that would use fan votes to choose which talented contestants would debut under the six-member group, KATSEYE.
The new eight-episode series takes viewers along on the journey to form the band, from the trainees' first lessons to Dream Academy's live finale. For over a year, cameras were rolling as the young hopefuls worked through doubt, homesickness, and even injury in hopes of pop stardom. Below, read on to meet the captivating trainees of Pop Star Academy: KATSEYE, including the six members who made their official debut earlier this summer.
The KATSEYE Members
Daniela
Daniela, 19, had previous experience with reality TV before joining Dream Academy; she competed as a ballroom dancer on the 13th season of So You Think You Can Dance at age 11. The Atlanta native, who is bilingual in English and Spanish, has also competed in dance at the international level and was constantly ranked near the top for dance among the trainees.
Daniela came in third place on The Debut: Dream Academy and debuted as a member of KATSEYE.
Instagram: @daniela_avanzini
Lara
First-generation Indian-American Lara was a 17-year-old high-schooler when she was recruited to join Dream Academy, due to her vocal talent and star quality. She had previously worked in TV, and in 2018, she appeared in a campaign for Michelle Obama’s Global Girls Alliance. The L.A.-raised singer quickly became a fan favorite, as she proudly highlighted her Indian culture in her styling and on social media.
Lara came in second place on The Debut: Dream Academy and debuted as a member of KATSEYE.
Instagram: @lararajj
Manon
Manon, 22, was working as a model in her native Switzerland when she caught the eye of casting and was recruited to join Pop Star Academy. Before the docuseries, Manon began writing songs at 15-years-old; per her Netflix bio, "having so many cultures in her life—her mother is Swiss and Italian, and her father is Ghanian—has given her confidence." She trained for a year before becoming a fan favorite on Dream Academy, though she came into conflict with the other trainees due to differences in work ethic.
Manon came in sixth place on The Debut: Dream Academy and debuted as a member of KATSEYE.
Instagram: @meretmanon
Megan
Megan, 18, was born in Hawaii and grew up between Honolulu and L.A. Per her Netflix bio, she first learned Hula and Tahitian dance when she was 2 and worked as an international model. After joining Pop Star Academy through the global audition, Megan trained for over a year and became a standout contestant on Dream Academy.
Megan came in fifth place on The Debut: Dream Academy and debuted as a member of KATSEYE.
Instagram: @meganskiendiel
Sophia
21-year-old singer Sophia was born in New York and grew up in Manila, Philippines, where she began singing at age 3 and dancing at age 5. Her mother is Carla Guevara Laforteza, a renowned singer and actress; despite her mother's fame, Sophia passed the global audition on her own while keeping it a secret from her parents. She trained in L.A. for over a year and eventually became a fan-favorite on Dream Academy, where she placed in the top 2 for all missions.
Sophia came in first place on The Debut: Dream Academy and debuted as the leader of KATSEYE.
Instagram: @sophia_laforteza
Yoonchae
Yoonchae is a 16-year-old singer from South Korea, who first passed auditions to become a K-pop trainee in 2020, after becoming a fan of BTS. She joined Hybe x Geffen ahead of Dream Academy and quickly became a frontrunner in the competition.
Yoonchae came in fourth place on The Debut: Dream Academy and debuted as the maknae (youngest member) of KATSEYE.
Instagram: @y0on_cha3
The Trainees
Abby
According to her Netflix bio, Abby grew up in the small mining town of Red Cliff, Colorado "with no cell service and really long winters where snowmobiles were the vehicle of choice." She was 17 when she became a trainee, and though she is the first to be cut from the program, she does form a bond with her fellow trainees and vocal coach.
Abby's now releasing music as a solo artist, under the moniker Abby Paradise.
Instagram: @abby.saltzman; TikTok: @abbyparadiseiscute
Adéla
Adéla moves from her native Slovakia to L.A., to become a trainee at age 19. The singer-songwriter and former ballet dancer quickly stands out on Pop Star Academy, as both a talented artist and a mother figure among the younger trainees. While she does become a cast member of The Debut: Dream Academy, she is eliminated after the first round.
Adéla stayed in L.A. after Dream Academy, and actively posts singing covers on social media.
Instagram: @adelajergova; TikTok: @adelajergova
Brooklyn
Brooklyn, 18, is a Texas-born singer-songwriter, model, and content creator who began modeling as a toddler and started writing songs when she was eight, per her official bio. She's eliminated from Dream Academy after Mission 2.
Brooklyn is currently a solo artist based in L.A.
Instagram: @houseofbrooklyn; TikTok: @houseofbrooklyn
Celeste
Celeste, 20, is an Argentinian singer who made it through Mission 3 on Dream Academy before being eliminated ahead of the live finale. She is currently based in L.A.
Instagram: @celestee._4
Emily
Emily, 18, is a professional dancer and actress who has competed and worked in the dance world since she was 5. The Dallas native previously appeared on shows including This Is Us and Fresh Off the Boat, and she made her acting debut in the 2015 horror movie The Lazarus Effect. She was one of the top dance trainees throughout Pop Star Academy, and she made it to Dream Academy's live finale, where she came in ninth place.
Emily currently works as a professional dancer and influencer, and regularly posts dance videos (including collaborations with dance coach Nikky Palmero) on social media.
Instagram: @emilykevalos; TikTok: @emilykevalos
Ezrela
Ezrela, 21, is an Australian singer. She was in the initial trainee group followed by Pop Star Academy. Per her Netflix bio, she speaks four languages including English and Korean, and she studied animation and sound design at university. She made it to the final live round of Dream Academy, where she came in eighth place.
Instagram: @ezrelaa; TikTok: @its.ezy
Hinari
Hinari is 14 when she becomes a contestant on Dream Academy, having joined the competition as a trainee from Japan. Unfortunately, partly due to struggling as a new trainee, she was eliminated after Mission 1.
Iliya
Iliya, 22, is a singer and influencer best known for posting covers on her TikTok, which has 2.9 million followers. Born in Belarus, Iliya had never danced nor taken lessons before joining the first group of trainees for Pop Star Academy. Despite gaining confidence in her dancing over the year of training, she was eliminated following Mission 2 in Dream Academy.
Iliya still works as an influencer posting singing covers on her Instagram and TikTok.
Instagram: @iliya.ria; TikTok: @riais4air
Karlee
Karlee is a 20-year-old singer-songwriter and dancer of Korean and Japanese heritage who grew up in Honolulu, Hawaii. After over a year of training, she became a contestant on Dream Academy and was eliminated after Mission 2.
Today, Karlee often posts song covers and performance videos on social media.
Instagram: @gnarly.karlee; TikTok: @gnarly.karleeee
Lexie
Lexie, 19, is a singer from Stockholm, Sweden, who joined Pop Star Academy as part of Hybe x Geffen's initial global audition. Though she was considered a frontrunner, Lexie decided to leave Dream Academy after the harsh elimination following Mission 2.
Lexie currently seems to work as a model in Stockholm.
Instagram: @levin_lexie
Marquise
Marquise is an 18-year-old singer from Bangkok, Thailand, who joins the trainees ahead of Dream Academy. She makes it to the live finale, where she comes in 10th place.
It's unclear what Marquise is currently up to, though she's rumored to be a K-pop trainee, as she has not been active on social media since last January.
Instagram: @marquiseaura; TikTok: @marquiseaura
Mei
Mei is an 18-year-old Japanese trainee who joins the trainees ahead of Dream Academy. She was eventually eliminated after Mission 2.
Naisha
Naisha, 19, is a Brazilian hip-hop dancer who joins Pop Star Academy from the global audition. Though she made it through the early monthly evaluations, she was eventually dropped from training after she violated Hybe and Geffen's confidentiality by posting an original song on social media.
According to social media, she is now based in London and L.A., and often posts dance videos online.
Instagram: @naishawaters
Nayoung
Nayoung, a 21-year-old trainee from South Korea, has been part of several Korean reality shows, including The Voice of Korea 2020 and The Legend, New Singer. She joined the trainees shortly before Dream Academy and quickly became a frontrunner due to her vocal talent. However, she was eventually eliminated after Mission 3, partly because she had expressed her desire to become a solo artist.
Nayoung participated in the JTBC survival show Girls on Fire earlier this year, and eventually won first place. She will debut as part of the show's winning girl group.
Instagram: @160.0_0
Samara
Samara is an 18-year-old singer and dancer from São Paulo, Brazil, who joins the trainees later in the training period and becomes a fan-favorite on Dream Academy due to her vocals. She makes it to the survival show's live finale, where she comes in seventh place.
Samara is still actively training as a pop star and often posts singing and dancing videos on social media.
Instagram: @samisiqueiraa; TikTok: @samisiqueiraa
Ua
Ua is a 16-year-old competitive dancer who joined Dream Academy as a Japanese trainee. She was eliminated after Mission 3.
